This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (April 20, 2014) – The 2014 EZ Memorial Ride and DC Strong Benefit is planned in honor of fallen Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Officer Eric Zapata for Saturday, May 24. Officer Zapata served the Kalamazoo community for 10 years, and Friday marked three years since he was killed in the line of duty.

The 2014 Memorial Ride is an all-day carnival type of event planned by Sons of Malta and DC Strong, a charity for children battling cancer. The event will run from 8a.m. until around 11p.m. Saturday, and will start with a motorcycle ride that leaves from Old Mill Golf Course in Kalamazoo. The event will include motorcycle games, live entertainment in the afternoon and a concert in the evening, and MMA cage fights, a sport that Zapata’s family says he loved and trained for regularly.

All proceeds will go to Lightning Kicks Troubled Youth Program and DC Strong cancer charity for children battling cancer. For information on tickets, times and pricing, including reduced hotel rates in the area, see the 2014 EZ Memorial Ride and DC Strong Benefit event page.